Adjustable rack for railway-cars



No..'608,437.. Patented Aug. 2, I898.

m. BUTLER. ADJUSTABLE BAG K FOR RAILWAY CARS.

(Application. filed. Jan. 24, 1898.] Model-1 3 Sheets-Sheet I.

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Patented Aug. 2, 1898.

M. BUTLER. ADJUSTABLE RACK FOR RAILWAY CARS.

(Application filed Jan. 24, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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No. 608,437. Ptented Aug. 2, I898. m. BUTLER.

ADJUSTABLE BACK FOR RAILWAY GAR Sv (Application filed Jan. 24, 1898.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets$heet 3.

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MICHAEL BUTLER, OF DALLAS, TEXAS.

ADJUSTABLE RACK FOR RAILWAY-CARS.-

SPECIFICATI ON forming part of Letters Patent No. 608,437, dated August 2, 189 8.

Application filed January 24, 1898. Serial No. 667,839. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beitknown that 1, MICHAEL BUTLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas, have invented-certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Racks for Railway- Cars; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has reference to improvements in adjustable racks for railway-cars for holding and supporting articles; and it consists of certain novel features of construction, which will be hereinafter fully described in the specification, elucidated in the drawings, and pointed out in the claims.

The object of the present invention is to afford increased facilities for passengers travelin g on railway-cars to dispose of their small packages, articles, grips, &c., and at the same time protect said articles to a certain extent from theft when a passenger'may fall asleep.

Another object of my invention isto so construct my adjustable rack that children and aged persons can take advantage of its utility without climbing on the car-seats to deposit their articles in a rack or basket.

A further object of my invention is to hinge the box or basket part of said rack so that it can be tilted forward, when necessary, to deposit heavy or bulky packages and said basket be returned to its normal position by means of a spring or its equivalent.

A further object of my invention is to 1n ake the rack self-balancing by means of a Weight or spring.

A further object of my invention is to so construct the rack that it can be stopped at any desired point on its movement in either direction.

A further object of my invention is to provide spring-actuating catches for engagement with lugs secured to or integral with a frame or back plate forming part of my device.

A further object of my invention is to so construct thesupporting or back plate that the rack can be held in any'position by means of spring-actuated friction-stops.

A further object of'my invention is to proto more fully exhibit my holding device. Fig.

4 is a plan or top view, partly in section, of the rack and its accompanying mechanism. Fig. 5 is a perspective view in detail of a portion of the back plate. Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively side and front elevations of my improved device, exhibiting a modified catch for supporting the adjustable rack.

My invention consists of a holder or back plate A, which is provided with holes a a for securing the same to a passenger coach or car. The central portion of said plate A is removed, so as to save metal as well as expense and weight in manufacturing the same. Rabbets are molded on the opposite sides of said plate for forming ways or guides 60 (L The front face of said plate A is provided with lugs a a, &c., which are preferably made integral with said plate.

The adjustable rack B consists'of a sliding framework 0, to which is secured a receptacle D, and mounted on said receptacle is an open box or basket E, which constitutes part of said rack. For the sake of brevity I will designate the sliding framework 0 the slide G. Said slide 0 is balanced by a suitable weight Gr, attached to a rope or chain g and passing over a sheave 9., located on the top of the back plate A, the opposite end of said rope 9 being secured to the front side of slide 0 at c. Pivoted on the inside of said slide 0 are bell-orank-lever catches H H, which e11-= gage with lugs a a, &c., previously referred to. Said catches H are held in contact with lugs a through the medium of spring I and operated by cords or chains 11' i, secured to levers J J, located on the outside or face of said slide 0. 1

Slots 7s are mortised through the face of slide 0 to allow the pins jj to pass through for securing the cords i i, previously referred to. The rack is elevated by means of the finger-hold K.

The receptacle or box D is adapted to hold books or packages, also canes and umbrellas, by passing the last two mentioned articles through the openings (Z (I, or such articles can be secured on the hooks (Z d. On opposite sides of said rack or box 1) are hooks Z for securing hats or suspending articles, if so desired.

The basket E is hinged at c to the top of the box 1) and held down in its normal position bysprings Ti, onlyone spring being shown in the drawings, as indicated at Fig. 2.

N is a handle for pulling down the basket when necessary to put in large packages, as the front of the basket E is extremely high, so as to approach to and be close to the top of a car, as indicated in Fig. 1, right-hand side, the left-hand side of the car showing the basket down in position for the reception of an article. \Vhen elevated, as previously indicated, on the right-hand side of a car, the articles in said basket are against or adjacent to said roof, and consequently articles cannot be surreptitiously taken from said basket unbeknown to the owner of said articles.

Figs. (3 and 7 are similar in every respect to Figs. 2 and 3, except the slight modification of the coiledspring-balancing device G and the back plate A, the latterhaving smooth rabbeted sides a" a and rubber friction-lugs ll, secured to the catches II for engaging said sides and holding the adjustable rack in any desired position through the medium of the spring 1.

Having described myinvention, that which I consider as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. An adjustable rack adapted for railwaycars for holding and supporting articles, in combination with a back or holder for retaining said rack in any desired elevated position, substantially as described.

52. An adjustable rack adapted for railwaycars for holding and supporting articles, in combination with a back or holder which is provided with lugs for engagement with suitable catches t'or retaining said adjustable rack in any desired position, substantially as described.

3. An adjustable rack for holding and supporting articles and held in a balanced position through the medium of aweight, in combination witha back or holder for supporting said rack in any desired position, substantially as described.

4.. An adjustable rack adapted for railwaycars for holding and supporting articles and held in a balanced position when unloaded through the medium of aweight, in combina tion with a back or holder which is provided with lugs for engagement with suitable catches for retaining said adjustable rack in any desired position loaded, substantially as specified.

5. An adjustable rack adapted for railwaycars for holding and supporting articles,which is provided with a hinged basket or receptacle and held in position through the medium of a spring, in combination with a back or holder for retaining said rack in an elevated position, substantially as specified.

6. An adjustable rack, consisting of aslide, a box secured to said slide, hooks for holding articles secured to said box and surmounted by a hinged basket and supported bya back or holder through the medium of spring-actuated catches, and lugs on said back, for the purpose as specified.

7. An ad justable rack adapted for railwaycars for holding and supporting articles, in combination with a back or holder [or supporting said rack in an elevated position and spring-actuated catches, substantially as described.

8. An adjustable rack adapted for railwayears and secured to the same for holding articles in a position adjacent to a car-roof, in combination with a back or holder for retaining said rack in an elevated position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence ot' two witnesses.

MICHAEL lEU'lLlCR.

\Vitnesses: 

